TOPIC: Covert Ops - Discussion

Hey Mike, fill your boots! I'm doing childcare now anyway.

My boots are filled with the warm ooze of disappointment!

That is why it is a good idea to wear bicycle clips after a really hot curry!

Sorry guys. Just found out my wife is away next Thursday so have to babysit. Won't be able to make it.

Covert Ops – Week 6/Part 1 (06/04/2017)

• Agent Alek Trevelyan (Andy C)
• Agent Rick Castle (Mark)
• Agent Stig Zango (Richard)
• Agent Aubrey Shatners-Basoon (Andy S)

ATLANTIC BASE, 1200 HOURS: Professor Pearce analyses the painting recovered from submarine U-977 and discovers a hidden Nazi code buried in the flaking pigments. The code only appears when exposed to a powerful UV light. Pearce immediately starts working on a camera that will allow the team to capture further codes in the field, without actually extracting the physical canvas. Whilst waiting for their new equipment, the team are briefed on OPERATION WINTER THUNDER.

“The next painting is believed to be located in Russia,” explains Director Ludlum, “Taken as a trophy by General Kirill Barisov during the Russian conquest of Berlin in 1945. Barisov retired from military service two years ago and his current whereabouts are presently unknown. However, his daughter, Katerina Barisov is studying as a dancer at the Bolshoi ballet school in Moscow and will be performing in Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake tomorrow night. Make contact with the general’s daughter and persuade her to share her father’s whereabouts. Gain access to the second painting and secure a UV capture of the next segment of Nazi code.

“Also, since agents Bradley and Parable are both AWOL, SECTOR has assigned a new member to your team to pick up the slack. Meet Agent Rick Castle and try not to get lost in his dreamy, blue eyes.”



-

Whilst waiting for their helicopter pilot to complete his pre-flight checks, Aubrey spots Recruit Cooper skulking nearby.

“Recruit Cooper – PISS FLANNEL – sorry, how can I help you?”

“Agent Shatners-Basoon… I don’t know how to say this, but I needed to tell someone….”

“Two minutes to take off!” called the pilot, as the rest of the team clambered into the chopper.

Recruit Cooper glanced over Aubrey’s shoulder, eyes widening in surprise.

“Come talk to me when you get back from your mission!” the rookie said, hurrying off, “It’s important!”

Bemused, Aubrey turned away from the retreating figure and found himself facing Deputy Director Birde and Mia.

“Was that Recruit Cooper just now?” Birde asked, eyes narrowing, “He’s been behaving erratically these last few days, missing training sessions. If you see him again, tell him to report to my office.”

Mia stepped forward and handed Aubrey a pair of heavy batteries.

“Spares for the UV camera,” she explained, “Each flash uses a lot of juice, so try not to waste them.”

-

MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1000 HOURS: The team land in the frozen heart of the Soviet motherland and secure accommodation at a lousy hotel near the airport. SECTOR has provided bespoke tuxedos for the ballet and the team get changed. Stig has traded in the van for a flaming red Dodge Viper, which raises some (big, hairy Russian) eyebrows when it roars to a halt outside the theater and he tosses the keys to a surprised valet. The team suspect that General Barisov may also be in the building to watch his daughter’s performance, however, the crowd is so dense that they cannot be sure. The throng begins to thin out as ushers direct people to their seats. An usher glances at Alek’s ticket and escorts the team to a private box overlooking the dark stage.



Alek picks up a pair of delicate crystal opera glasses and scrutinizes the occupants of the boxes on the opposite side of the auditorium. He spots a familiar face, but it is not Barisov.

“Guys, do you remember that smoking hot CITADEL agent we met in Italy?”

“The one with the disfiguring burns down one side of her face?” Stig clarifies.

“That’s the one. Well, she’s sitting in one of the boxes opposite us and… yep, she’s totally made us.”

Just then there is a knock on the door of the box. Alek opens it gingerly and an usher hands him a mobile telephone.

“I’m sorry to disturb you gentlemen, but you have an important call.”

Alek lifted the receiver to his ear with a sinking sense of grim inevitability.

“Hello Miss Balalaika, you’re looking ravishing this evening.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere with me, Mister Trevelyan,” Balalaika purrs, “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? I know who you are and by now, you will have realised who I represent. I regret that we are here tonight at cross purpose and can hardly allow you to interfere with my operation any further.”

Two red sniper dots appeared on Aubrey’s chest, centered over his heart.

“Stay in your box and enjoy the ballet. Try to leave before the curtain falls and Mister Shatners-Basoon will be leaving Russia in a box.”

The line goes dead and Alek tosses the phone to the floor in frustration. On stage, the curtain rises and the show begins.

Covert Ops – Week 6/Part 2

MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 2000 HOURS: Fretful of agitating the CITADEL snipers aiming at Aubrey’s vitals, the team settle down to watch the first act of Swan Lake. Prince Siegfried leaves his birthday celebration to go hunting and encounters the swan princess Odette down by the lake.

Eager to show his quality to his new comrades, Agent Rick Castle concocts an audacious plan. Stig summons an usher with champagne and cigars. The team all light up simultaneously and create a dense cloud of tobacco-scented smoke that fills the box. The lasers directed at Aubrey’s chest are revealed and Alek calculates their point of origin, where the two CITADEL snipers are positioned. When the usher leaves, Rick slips out after him and dashes towards the first sniper’s nest. The assassin is peering down his rifle scope and fails to notice Rick ghosting into the dark box, crossbow readied.

Twang!

Across the theatre, Alek whips out his silenced pistol and opens fire on the second sniper’s position. Involuntarily, the assassin switches targets to deal with this new threat. The moment the laser dot flickers, Aubrey dives for cover. At long range, Alek’s pistol is ineffective, but the distraction has served its purpose and Aubrey is in the clear. The CITADEL sniper curses and aims his rifle at Alek’s head. His finger is beginning to squeeze the trigger when Rick bursts through the door and shoots a bolt through his neck.

Shadowed by her massive bodyguard, Zoya Balalaika storms out of her box and heads for the exit.

“Instruct bravo team to secure the package and exfiltrate,” she snarls at Boris, who relays her orders over the radio, “And somebody kill those clowns from SECTOR!”

Two goons packing submachine guns peel off to intercept the team as they spill out of their own box.

“They’re going to snatch Katerina!” Stig yells, struggling to make himself heard over the rattle of automatic gunfire.

“We’ll deal with these guys,” Alek roars, “You get backstage and protect the girl. Rick, can you get there from your location?”

“Affirmative.” Rick’s disembodied voice answers over the Scom, “I hope General Barisov appreciates the effort we’re making to keep his little girl out of trouble.”

Swan Lake has progressed into its third act and a masked ball is unfolding on stage. There is no way to identify which of the dancers is Katerina Barisov, but Stig concludes that she is probably the one being carted off over the shoulder of a masked man dressed like a member of the Prince’s entourage. Stig snatches a fire extinguisher off the wall and sprays a cloud of freezing/choking mist over the CITADEL thugs. Unfortunately, he and Rick are caught in the cloud also and they all freeze/choke together. The mook carrying Katerina staggers towards a fire escape and flees across the parking garage towards an idling Sedan (black, obviously). Using the other vehicles for cover, Stig sneaks closer. The goon spots Stig’s reflection in the car’s tinted windows and spins around, raising his weapon to blow the driver away. A crossbolt hits him in the chest and he goes down, spraying bullets into the ceiling. Stig waves at Rick and slings Katerina over his own shoulder. Fortunately, the Viper is parked on the same level of the parking structure and he straps the general’s daughter into the back seat.

Thick, white smoke is billowing out of the theatre as Stig power-slides around the fountain in front of the majestic building. The rest of the team emerge from the cloud and pile into the car.

“Smoke grenade,” Aubrey explains, in response to the unspoken question, “What? You didn’t think we would burn down the Bolshoi theatre did you? We’re supposed to be keeping a low profile.”

The sound of sirens grows suddenly louder as Moscow’s finest respond to the reports of sustained gunfire in the vicinity.

“Yeah…” Stig said, throwing the muscle car into gear, “That’s going really well so far.”

To be continued….